Dangerous By Design 2014, a report recently issued, recognized the South Florida area as the nation’s 4th most dangerous metropolitan area for pedestrians. Unfortunately, the report does not get better for the rest of Florida; the three cities that have even worse records than Miami-Fort Lauderdale-Pompano are Jacksonville, Tampa-St Petersburg, and Orlando.
One factor that helps contribute to the states poor performance is the fact that Florida’s percentage of residents over the age of 65 is much higher than most other states. The elderly are much more likely to travel on foot once their driving skills become too rusty due to age. Laura Cantwell, associate Florida director of AARP, which helped fund the report, states, “They’re less able to react quickly, and if they are struck, they often have more serious injuries from a collision.”
<h2>Some common injuries an elderly person might sustain if struck by a motor vehicle while walking are:</h2>
It is crucial to make the streets of South Florida safe for elderly pedestrians and the Florida Department of Transportation is already implementing measures to do so. “We have done a significant amount of work, says Billy Hattaway of FDOT, “But this is not a quick, silver-bullet solution. It’s going to take time.” FDOT engineers have used accident reports to pin point hot spots and are working on specific solutions to each one. Dangerous by Design has already suggested some safety measures including creating more crosswalks in the area and reducing the number of arterial roads that have four or more lanes, which is where most of the pedestrian fatalities occur.
If you are an elderly person, and injured in a pedestrian accident, or your loved one has been hurt, it is important to contact a Miami personal injury attorney. An attorney will explain all options available to you and help collect compensation to help cover medical bills, lost wages, and other expenses.
Contact Miami Pedestrian Accident Lawyer if you or someone you love has been injured in a car or pedestrian related accident in Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Palm Beach, or anywhere in the State of Florida, you need an experienced Miami pedestrian accident lawyer on your side. Contact the Dante Law Firm, P.A. to learn more about all of your legal options. Call us at 305-949-2526 today to discuss your case.
(954) 365-0000